asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is in a position to state the result of the recent Unity Conference at Allahabad between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims?

An agreement was reached among some 15 members of this Conference in favour of the separation of Sind and upon certain points connected with representation in the Legislatures and other matters. But the agreement has not yet been ratified by the communities concerned and has been condemned by a Conference of leading Muslims at Delhi.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India have made any investigation or prepared any estimate of the numbers of unemployed in India and of persons suffering from insufficient food, clothing, and shelter?

So far as I am aware no such estimate has been made.

Has the hon. Gentleman seen a report issued by an eminent Indian publicist declaring that 40,000,000 people in India are suffering great privation and living in a state of chronic poverty?

I am always glad to investigate any such report.

Is it not a fact that millions of people in India have always been starving?

asked the Secretary of State for India from what representative organisations in India has he received requests that European education should be a central subject?

I have received representations in this sense on behalf of the Anglo-Indian and Domiciled European Association and the Association of Heads of European Schools in India.

Is my hon. Friend aware that many Anglo-Indian children from Calcutta are now educated in the Province of Assam?

The question asked by my hon. Friend was as to what representative organisations had made representations. If he will put down another question, I shall be very glad to answer it.

Can my hon. Friend say that these representations will receive favourable consideration?

They will receive the most earnest consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can make any statement as to the present state of affairs in India?

The situation remains unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is now in a position to make a statement as to flag discrimination by the Portuguese Government against British shipping?

His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom very much regret that the Portuguese Government have not yet replied to a note on this subject which His Majesty's Ambassador addressed to them last August; my right hon. Friend has accordingly instructed His Majesty's Ambassador to press for an early reply.

Will not the Government consider cancelling our trade treaty with Portugal in view of the fact that this question has been going on for two years?

The present position is admittedly unsatisfactory, but my hon. Friend may be certain that every consideration bearing on this question will be taken fully into account.

Does not Portugal owe its very existence to the British people and the British nation, and is it not time that some retaliatory measures were taken by this country?

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether the Government hospitality fund is providing hospitality for the Swedish Delegation to discuss trade affairs with the British Government; and if the Delegation came at our invitation?

No expense will fall on His Majesty's Government other than that involved by social courtesy, such as an official luncheon to the delegates. The Swedish Government, having suggested the desirability of tariff negotiations, were invited to send delegates to London for this purpose.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the arrangements arrived at by the D'Abernon mission to Argentina have been carried out; if not, whether it is intended to carry them out either in part or in whole; and whether, in discussing wheat and meat problems with the Argentine commercial delegation, he will stipulate that the terms of the D'Abernon agreement shall become part of any future commercial arrangement with the Argentine Government?

The D'Abernon Agreement was negotiated three years ago and did not come into operation as it failed to receive the approval of the Argentine Legislature. As regards the last part of the question, I doubt whether it would be possible to revive the agreement as such, but it will be borne in mind in connection with our efforts to increase British trade with Argentina.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any opposition to the application of the newsprint manufacturers for the transfer of newsprint from the free list was filed before the prescribed date, namely, 28th October; and, if not, if he can state the cause of the delay in dealing with the application?

I understand that the answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the affirmative, and the second part does not therefore arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken with regard to the representations made to him on behalf of the British chemical glassware industry in connection with proposals to establish factories in this country, with the assistance of alien labour, to manufacture chemical glassware, including tubing; and if he is aware of the capacity of the British industry to manufacture these products for the whole of the home market and for the Dominions?

I have received representations to this effect and communicated them to the Minister of Labour, with whom rests the responsibility for issuing permits for the employment of alien labour. The Minister has been informed that the Board of Trade see no reason to question the accuracy of the view expressed on behalf of the British chemical glass industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can report any further progress towards getting increased preference for the trade of this country with Ceylon?

I understand that the Board of Ministers in Ceylon have completed a preliminary scrutiny of the schedule of proposed preferential duties. They have referred it, in accordance with the usual practice, to the Executive Committee for Labour, Industry and Commerce for very early examination and report, with a view to the introduction into the State Council at the earliest possible date of a resolution under the Customs Ordinance imposing a new scale of duties embodying Imperial Preference on a wide range of commodities.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, owing to the abnormal fall in the value of the yen, tremendous importations of Japanese goods are taking place into Ceylon and the whole effect of Imperial Preference is being undermined; and, as this is a matter of great urgency, will be consider taking immediate steps to represent the situation to the Government of Ceylon?

I represented the situation to the Government of Ceylon the day after this House granted Imperial Preference.

Can my right hon. Friend take any more efficacious measures to deal with the situation, which is one of grave urgency?

I cannot. I have made very strong representations as to what is in the interests of Ceylon as well as of this country, but my hon. Friend will be aware that in this matter the Parliament of Ceylon is entitled to act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can report any further progress in connection with preference or increase of preference for the trade of this country in the mid-continental Colonies in Africa?

All the Dependencies in Africa which are free to do so now grant preferences to this country.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the representations of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce in connection with this matter?

With which matter?

The matter put forward in the question is as to increased preferences in the Colonies in Africa?

I am not sure that I follow. I have been myself in fairly close touch with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Since I have been at the Colonial Office preference has been introduced in all those Colonies in which it has been granted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the Franco-Soviet Pact of Non-Aggression and the Conciliation Convention, signed in Paris on 29th November; and whether negotiations are proceeding or contemplated between Britain and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics for a similar convention and pact?

The text of the Franco-Soviet Pact of Non-Aggression has been published in the Press. I have no statement to make in the matter. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

Will the hon. Gentleman agree that it would be a great safeguard to the peace of the world if this country followed the example of France?

The circumstances in our case do not seem to call for any such action.

Are not the British Government equally interested in maintaining the peace of the world?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken by His Majesty's Government with regard to the confiscation without compensation by the Russian Soviet Government of the plant, properties, tanks, and oil belonging to the British company known as Baku Consolidated Oilfields, Limited, of the estimated value of over £4,000,000?

The circumstances in which the Anglo-Soviet debts and claims negotiations were terminated on the 27th January last have already been explained to the House; those negotiations applied to this claim among others. No further action has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the future of the District Court of Shanghai?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has ascertained the wishes of the Municipal Council of Shanghai regarding changes in the composition and status of the Shanghai District Court when the present agreement expires on the 31st March?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the many complaints of interference with the judges of the present District Court of Shanghai; and whether the British representative has put forward proposals for reform?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that, in anticipation of the present agreement expiring next March, the Chinese are framing a list of desiderata for the new Shanghai District Court which are designed to eliminate the checks on the court's action which the Shanghai Municipal Council still possess; and whether this Government are considering taking any action in the matter?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the complaints made of obstruction and delay in securing judgments in the present district court of Shanghai and with regard to the competence and experience of the judges; and what action the Government is taking to secure reforms?

My right hon. Friend is aware of the various complaints that have been made regarding the working of the court, and fully recognises the importance of the matter. I understand that the Chinese Government have the terms of the existing agreement under consideration. My hon. Friend may rest assured that His Majesty's Government will do everything possible to secure the fullest protection for the British interests involved, whether these depend on the terms of the court agreement or on other factors affecting the administration of justice.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this agreement expires in a very short time, and does he not think that negotiations should be put in hand at once so that conclusions can be come to in ample time?

I quite agree that the negotiations have to be concluded by April next, and I can assure my hon. Friend that we are not in any way wasting time.

Will the Government consult the Municipal Council of Shanghai and ascertain their views?

That is covered in the answer which I gave, in which I said that we will do everything possible. That certainly includes consultation with the Municipal Council of Shanghai.

Will the Government see that we take a lead of all the other nations in this matter?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has as to the conditions in Harbin; and what steps are being taken to safeguard the lives and property of British residents in the disturbed conditions prevailing there?

The information which has been received shows that a state of great insecurity exists in Harbin owing to the activities of bandits. It is unsafe for foreign residents to go outside the city and attempts at kidnapping have been made even in Harbin itself. When approached on the subject, His Majesty's Consul-General has advised the evacuation of women and children, and several have left. His Majesty's Consul-General is also assisting British firms to obtain armed guards for the protection of life and property. The Consular body at Harbin have represented to the local authorities the urgent necessity for the strengthening and improving of the police force, and His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo has asked the Japanese Government to use their influence with the Manchurian authorities for the same purpose. This they have promised to do.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the growing anxiety of those farmers who cultivate sugar beet as to the prospects of the industry when the Sugar Beet Subsidy Act expires at the end of next year; and what steps he is taking to ensure that farmers will be advised of the future policy in this connection at the earliest possible opportunity?

I recognise the desirability of determining future policy in regard to the sugar-beet industry as soon as possible. The hon. Baronet will appreciate that important questions are involved, but I can assure him that there will be no avoidable delay.

When dealing with this matter, will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman give full consideration to a duty and no excise instead of a subsidy?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now state when the committee of inquiry into the sugar-beet industry referred to in his Budget speech is to be set up?

No, Sir. The matter is under consideration, but my right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to make a definite statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to initiate a few demonstration smallholdings on the outskirts of large industrial towns which will serve as training centres for unemployed men desiring to become smallholders?

Under the Statutes at present in operation the responsibility for providing smallholdings rests with county councils, but they would not be empowered to carry out such a proposal as that suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend. The only provisions which would allow effect to be given to his suggestion are contained in the Agricultural Land (Utilisation) Act, 1931, and, as he is aware, it has not been found possible in the present financial stringency to provide the necessary funds to enable this Act to be operated. I am therefore not in a position to adopt the suggestion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Leicester and Rutland Agricultural Wages Board have proposed to reduce wages from 34s. to 32s. per week and from 32s. 6d. to 30s. 6d., respectively; and if he will state whether he intends to endorse these proposals

I am aware that the Leicester and Rutland Agricultural Wages Committee recently issued a proposal to reduce the minimum rates on the lines stated and that on meeting after the prescribed period for the lodging of objections to the proposal they decided that the reductions shall be put into effect. The Committee's decision does not come before me for endorsement, as under the terms of the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act the determination of the minimum rates is entirely within the powers of the Committee.

Do I understand from that reply that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman has no control at all in the matter, and no right to veto such a proposal?

No, Sir, the Act passed by the Government which was supported by the hon. Gentleman did not give me that power.

Will the Minister say whether it is in his power to give a gentle hint to these people that the wages are low enough already?

If we began giving hints on this subject, it might lead both sides rather further than they wish to go.

Will the Minister inform the Agricultural Wages Board that he has very great hopes that on account of tariffs conditions will improve so much that it will not be necessary to reduce wages?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made up to the present with the preparation of marketing schemes in accordance with the recommendations of the Pig Industry Reorganisation Committee?

I understand that the respective organisations representing farmers and curers have separately and conjointly considered these schemes, and that I may expect shortly to receive their comments. I may add that, so far as can be judged from Press reports, the agricultural community has given a favourable reception to the proposals as a whole.

When will the right hon. Gentleman be able to make a statement on this subject? Before the end of the year?

Obviously, that point lies in the hands of the bodies who are forwarding me their appreciations of the situation.

Has any time limit been placed on them?

I am leaving it to the good sense of the bodies concerned, as it is everyone's knowledge that it is very desirable that we should have this information as soon as possible.

Has the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the comments made on the agricultural policy of the Government at the Conservative conference in Glasgow recently?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, with a view to allaying public anxiety with regard to the effect on retail meat prices of the recent restrictions imposed, he will consider the desirability of publishing weekly figures showing the course of prices for the chief categories of wholesale and retail meat?

Wholesale prices of meat are published weekly by my Department in the Agricultural Market Report. The collection and publication of retail prices is undertaken by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, and these figures are published monthly in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Is it not a fact that the changes in the wholesale prices do not justify any great increase in retail prices?

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of people whose services will be unnecessary as the result of the general establishment of the dialling system?

It is anticipated that it will be possible to absorb in other exchanges the staff rendered redundant as the result of the conversion of manual exchanges to automatic working.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the decline in the takings from telephone boxes in the streets and in public places since the adoption of the dialling system?

Since 1927, when the automatic system was introduced in London, the annual takings from public call offices have increased by about £100,000 in London and by about a quarter of a million pounds in the country as a whole.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that many supervising officers in Northern Ireland are being retained beyond the normal retiring age although there are officers below retiring age capable of performing the duties; that these retentions increase unemployment, impede promotion, the absorption of boy messengers, and the creation of full-time posts for auxiliary postmen; and whether he will reduce the number of retentions?

The hon. Member would appear to have been misinformed. There is at the present time only one Supervising Officer in the Post Office in Northern Ireland above 60 years of age.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether this officer is due to retire, and, if so, why he is kept on?

My hon. Friend had better put that question on the paper?

asked the Postmaster-General how many cases of attacks upon sub-post offices have been reported to him during the current year; what is the total value of Post Office property that has been lost through such attacks; and in how many cases Post Office officials have been wounded or killed?

Since the 1st January last there have been 22 cases of attack upon sub-post offices. The loss is approximately £168. No Post Office official was killed. In eight cases sub-postmasters or their assistants received injuries—fortunately in most cases of only a minor character. I am sure the House will appreciate the courage that has been generally displayed by the employés of the Post Office and others concerned.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say in how many of these cases the criminals have been apprehended and punished?

I think there have been a dozen cases—some of them, of course, have occurred only quite recently—and already six people have been arrested.

asked the Postmaster-General what safeguard has the user of an automatic telephone on the dialling system, from being charged for wrong numbers or a call to which there is no reply?

Wrong numbers are comparatively rare, and there has been appreciable improvement in this respect since the installation of automatic telephone exchanges. Where a wrong connection is made, the calling subscriber should notify the operator in order that credit may be allowed. A call is not recorded by the automatic meter unless the called subscriber's telephone is answered.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the reason for the change to be made in the type of hat for postmen and what type of hat is to be adopted?

asked the Postmaster-General for what reasons it has been decided to alter the headgear of postmen; what is the new pattern; and what is the estimated cost of the change?

The change from the shako to a cap of Brodrick pattern was authorised at the request of the postmen; it is being made as and when issues become due in normal course and the existing stocks of shakos become exhausted; and there is no additional cost.

Is it not a fact that the new type of hat does not give as great. a protection from the elements as the old type, which is regarded only as one of the most useful relics of the Victorian period?

There is a good deal of difference of opinion about this matter, and I think the best plan would be to give the new cap a try out and see what the results may be. This change has been made at the request of the wearers of the caps.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say how it is that at the very moment the Army is giving up one type of cap the Post Office is adopting it?

I have already stated that this change was decided on some time ago, before there was any alteration so far as the Army is concerned, and it was made at the request of the men themselves.

Are these new caps being made by the Army Clothing Department or by private contractors?

I must have notice of that question.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to wear one of these caps in the House of Commons?

I have already worn one, but I must ask my hon. Friend to look at it and ask himself how he thinks I would appear in it.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will consider the advisability of making an alteration in the practice in his Department whereby ex-service men are discharged to make room for non-ex-service men from another town, though the latter may have longer service with the Department and when, as in the recent case in Birmingham, the housing difficulty is acute?

A preference is given to ex-service men in engaging staff for many situations in the Post Office, but when it is a question of discharging staff owing to shortage of work, it is, I think, generally regarded as reasonable that length of service in the Post Office and degree of skill should be the principal determining factors. This has been the practice since the War and has generally been regarded by the staff concerned as the most equitable arrangement in the difficult circumstances.